FAQ: Contextual Campaigns

Barclay.Idsal

About Contextual Targeting Campaigns

What are contextual targeting campaigns? ​

Contextual targeting campaigns allow you to reach target accounts with ABX programs when they are on topically relevant sites. They enable you to run ads on web pages that are most relevant to your company's offering and to the customers you are targeting.​

When should I run these campaigns?​

Contextual targeting campaigns are ideal if you have a large segment with many accounts and want to prioritize your advertising to accounts with the most interest; for when you are trying to build brand awareness in a specific industry or topic; or if you are prospecting and want to reach accounts when potential customers are starting their online research.​

How should I set these campaigns up?​

You can learn more about setting up contextual targeting campaigns here:​

• Contextual Targeting Campaigns​
• FAQ: Contextual Targeting

Contextual Targeting Campaign Best Practices

Select all the relevant topics.​

Contextual topics are organized by industry. Consider testing topics within your own industry, but also that of your potential customers. You can select multiple topics for the same campaign.

Build messaging off the content you're targeting.​

Contextual targeting campaigns target content, not personas. Make sure your ad messaging speaks to the topics you are targeting. 

Use a large segment to drive a meaningful volume of impressions.​

Larger segments (those with >500 accounts) will have a better chance of being found on contextually relevant pages. If prospecting, use a very large segment based on broad filters to simply qualify potential customers.

Limit additional targeting.​

Avoid layering in additional targeting parameters, such as dayparting, tight frequency caps, or other settings that may make it difficult for your campaign to reach its desired daily budget.

Maham Shaikh

Hi! I am running a 6sense contextual targeting campaign to a large segment with over 1800 accounts targeting business services: human resources. Yet, I am noticing that my campaign is underdelivering. As per the advice in this post, I've removed any dayparting to help with making sure that my ad is seen by viewers. I am using native ads and specifically gif ad type for this campaign and wondering if a low inventory could be contributing to the campaign under delivering.

What else should I consider or update and what do you all recommend as a next step? I also have static banner ads that I created to use for the campaign but realized that I couldn't use them in the same campaign that I'd set up.

Brandon McBride

Contextual targeting is going to be highly specific in where it will serve so it will have a lower inventory. I believe you're 100% correct in that.

One thing you could do if you're concerned about delivery - and somebody please correct me if you feel I'm wrong - is:

1. Remove barriers on the contextual campaign.
   1. Set a higher frequency on your contextual campaign if it's low - this may not do much, but we're looking to remove barriers here.
   2. Remove dayparting (which you've already done, but including it for future visitors).
   3. If your daily spend is being met, consider raising your daily spend limit (probably not the case given that it's underdelivering).
2. Set up another campaign without the contextual component.
   1. Consider using a lower frequency here - the idea is that they see the ads most heavily in the contextual categories of the other campaign, but also that they see the ad as they're going about their daily activities.
   2. Leverage the brand protection categories to make sure you're not serving your ads in crazy places. We want them to mostly associate the ad with the contextual categories with what is essentially "secondary delivery" across a broader network - but not in the darkest corners of the internet.
3. Consider adjusting expectations.
   1. It may be that there simply isn't enough identified traffic for what you've set up. Even larger segments can have small delivery with niche targeting, which is kind of the point. Spending less to target the right folks is a win. It frees up more money for other activities or things like a company conference on a cruise ship (hear me out @Latane: Breakthrough on the Ocean - or perhaps I've been watching too much Doctor Odyssey).